Evading Arrest in Texas | Evading in a Vehicle

What is Evading Arrest?

In Texas, the offense of evading arrest occurs when a person flees a police officer who is attempting to lawfully detain or arrest that person. That is not to say that every police encounter requires a person to stop. An officer must have reasonable suspicion to stop a person. (If an officer does not give you a reason for the stop, a prudent and respectful question would be to ask whether you are being stopped. This may seem obvious, but officers often make consensual encounters with people who could have walked away if they only knew to ask.) If an officer has reasonable suspicion to stop someone, probable cause for their arrest, or a warrant for their arrest, then fleeing from that officer is the criminal offense of evading arrest under Penal Code Section 38.04.

Under Texas Penal Code 38.04, “a person commits the offense if he intentionally flees from a person he knows is a peace officer or federal special investigator attempting lawfully to arrest or detain him.” [Sorry, Bandit!]

What Are the Elements of Evading Arrest?

Evading arrest consists of four elements that must be proved by the government in order to convict. Under Tex. Pen. Code § 38.04(a), the government must show that at the time of the incident:

the person was acting intentionally;

the person fled;

the person knew that he was fleeing from an officer; and

that the officer was attempting to lawfully detain or arrest the person.

In Texas, intentionally is defined as a “conscious objective or desire to engage in the conduct or to cause the result.” Tex. Pen. Code § 6.03(a). Evading arrest does not require the use of any physical force. Using physical force would result in the offense of resisting arrest. Tex. Pen Code § 38.03(a).

What is the Punishment for Evading on Foot?

Depending on the circumstances, evading arrest can be a misdemeanor or a felony can in Texas. If the person flees the police on foot, the offense is a Class A misdemeanor under most circumstances. A Class A misdemeanor in Texas is punishable by up to a year in jail and maximum $4,000 fine.

What is the Punishment for Evading on Foot with Priors?

If a person has been convicted of evading previously, the subsequent offense becomes a state jail felony. A state jail felony is punishable by up to two years in a state jail facility and a maximum $10,000 fine.

What is the Punishment for Evading Arrest in a Vehicle?

What is the Punishment for Evading Arrest in a Vehicle with a Prior?

A subsequent charge of evading arrest becomes a third-degree felony, which is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a maximum $10,000 fine.

A person who has evaded arrest and broken another law in the same course of conduct is subject to prosecution for both crimes. Evading arrest itself is a continuing crime and a person cannot be charged twice for the same incident. Instead, the one evasion lasts until the person is apprehended by officers. Hobbs v. State, 175 S.W.3d 777, 781.

What Are the Punishment Enhancements for Evading Arrest?

As mentioned, there are aggravating circumstances that can cause the offense to be charged as a higher degree offense. One of those aggravating circumstances is a prior conviction for the same offense. Tex. Pen. Code § 38.04(b)(1)(A). If the actor has two aggravating factors such as a prior conviction under this section and use of a motor vehicle, the offense is then bumped up again to a third degree felony. Tex. Pen. Code § 38.04(b)(2)(A). A third degree felony will also result from the use of a tire deflation device in an attempt to evade or the serious bodily injury of another as a direct result of the police attempting to chase someone evading arrest. Tex. Pen. Code § 38.04(b)(2)(B)-(C). If the use of a tire deflation device itself causes a serious injury, a second-degree felony charge will ensue. Tex. Pen. Code § 38.04(b)(3)(B) (West 2011). If a death of another person results from the officers attempting to apprehend the evading person, a second-degree felony will be charged. Tex. Pen. Code § 38.04(b)(3)(A). A second-degree felony is punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a maximum $10,000 fine.

Contact Us

If you or a loved one is facing this charge, it’s important to contact a skilled defense attorney as soon as possible. We can help. Call us today at 817-203-2220 for a free consultation. You can also contact us online.